One of the first things people notice about you is your smile.
Apart from that, having a nice smile also improves your self-esteem and confidence. However, having bad, damaged, or discoloured teeth can change that. In fact, many people all over the world suffer from this type of teeth.
Some people even have no teeth, as in Canada, where about 16% of differently-abled people aged between 65 and 79 lost all their teeth. That’s why you should take care of your teeth to ensure that you can continue smiling for a long time.
Read the tips below to get an idea about how you can do that.
Maintain Consistent Oral Hygiene
Maintaining your oral hygiene is an important part of maintaining clean, white teeth. That’s because bacteria in your teeth or the presence of any impurities can lead to discolouration and other problems.
You should brush your teeth twice daily, floss, and use fluoride toothpaste. That’s because using fluoride toothpaste prevents the loss of minerals. Flossing your teeth once daily before bedtime prevents bad breath, cavities, puffiness, and soreness.
Schedule Regular Professional Cleanings
You should get your teeth professionally cleaned at least twice a year, as per the 2-2-2 rule. It states that you should brush your teeth twice a day, for two minutes and visit your dentist twice a year. However, the actual frequency might depend on the condition of your existing teeth.
Normally, visiting your dentist twice a year helps them detect and prevent any unwanted issues early. Apart from that, they also clean your teeth through an intensive cleaning, polishing and a fluoride treatment.
See also: How a Career Coach in Ottawa Helps With Job Search Strategy?
Consider Clinical Touch Ups
You can opt for cosmetic dental treatments, such as bonding, to refine and enhance your smile’s shape.
Consider the table below to get an overview of the process.
| Teeth Bonding Process |
| The dentist matches the resin tooth shade to your teeth’s colour. |
| Your tooth is roughened, after which the dentist uses a particular liquid to make the tooth shade stick. |
| The dentist applies the resin, moulds it and smoothens it to match the shape of your teeth |
| After the moulding process, the dentist cures the resin to increase the resin’s bond with the teeth |
| The procedure is completed, and your teeth no longer look chipped. |
Table 1: Clinical Teeth Bonding Procedure
Consider asking your dentist for a front teeth bonding before and after image if you feel unsure about the results of this process.
Some other measures they might take include veneers. Veneers are essentially porcelain or acrylic layers on the front of your teeth.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking water is also an important part of maintaining a bright smile. That’s because the water washes away any remnant food particles. It also keeps your mouth hydrated and balances your mouth’s pH.
Our mouth’s pH normally remains neutral to alkaline, with a pH between 6.2 to 7.6. However, when we eat high sugar or similar foods, our pH goes down to 5.5 or below, depending on the food in question.
The decrease in the pH level causes the enamel to crack and break down. Take a look at the image below for an idea about the pH of various foodstuffs.
Avoid Smoking and Tobacco
You should avoid smoking frequently since using tobacco can stain your teeth. It can make your teeth look yellow. Apart from that, smoking too much also leads to gum disease due to the formation of bacterial plaque.
The gums get affected since smoking reduces the oxygen present in your teeth, which prevents healing. To remedy this, you can consider getting your teeth professionally whitened.
Take a look at the table below to understand how professionally whitening your teeth will benefit you more than a whitening home kit.
| Feature | Professional Whitening | Over-the-Counter Whitening |
| Whitening Strength | Strong (clinically supervised) | Mild to moderate |
| Safety | Dentist monitored | May cause sensitivity |
| Results Duration* | Long-lasting (6–12 months) | Short-term (1–3 months) |
Table 2: Professional Whitening vs At-Home Kits
*Note: this duration is just an estimate. An actual one will depend on the condition of your teeth.*
Opt for Dentures
You can also opt for dentures in Ottawa if your teeth are too badly chipped or you’re missing some teeth. Dentures are basically removable sets of teeth you can use to replace the teeth that are missing. There are two types of dentures, like full or partial, that you can opt for. Full dentures are used to replace either your entire set of lower or upper teeth.
Partial dentures are used to replace several missing teeth in both your upper and lower teeth. The dentist will generally recommend that you take your dentures out at night to rest your gums. Keep them in a container of clean distilled or tap water.
Protect Your Teeth from Damage
You might not believe this, but as per a study, over 60% of injuries in people aged 12-19 were due to sports. So if you’re an avid sportsperson, then you should consider using mouthguards for contact sports like boxing, MMA, football or soccer.
The mouthguards will ensure that your teeth don’t break or get chipped accidentally. However, using typical mouthguards won’t do. You should opt for custom mouthguards from your dental clinic to ensure a perfect fit.
In case your teeth get lightly chipped, consider dental bonding to make your teeth look whole again. Ask the dentist for a front teeth bonding before and after image if you’re not sure about how your teeth will look.
Watch What You Eat and Drink
The food you eat also impacts your smile. It can stain your teeth or temporarily discolour them. Take a look at the table below to get an idea about which foodstuffs cause stains versus those that don’t.
| Stain-causing foodstuffs | Non-stain-causing foodstuffs |
| Tea, coffee | Apples, carrots |
| Dairy products | Red wine |
| Leafy greens | Soda and similar fizzy drinks |
Table 3: Stain-causing vs Non-stain-causing Foodstuffs
Apart from staining, they also damage your teeth and cause your enamel to weaken.
The Last Word
Taking care of your teeth regularly ensures that they remain healthy and you maintain the quality of your smile. However, that does not mean you should skip out on visiting a dentist and explore other options like ultrasonic teeth cleaning and so on.
That’s because you will enjoy the benefits of professional experience and curated advice when you do so.
Ready For A Healthy Smile?
Visit a reputed dental clinic near you in Ottawa to book a consultation today!
